Gran Reserva Imperial
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 10 to 30 years from the vintage release, though outstanding vintages can continue to evolve beautifully for 40 years or more.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Classic Spanish roasted lamb (cordero asado), grilled venison or other wild game, and well-aged Manchego cheese.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
First created in the 1920s, CVNE's 'Imperial' is one of Spain's most illustrious wine icons, originally named after a special 'imperial pint' bottle produced for the British market. This Gran Reserva is only made in exceptional vintages, sourced from low-yielding, bush-trained old vines in the Rioja Alta sub-region, particularly around the village of Villalba. The blend is anchored by Tempranillo, with small additions of Graciano and Mazuelo. It is aged for at least two years in French and American oak casks followed by an extended period of bottle aging in CVNE's historic Eiffel-designed cellars in Haro. The result is a masterclass in traditional Rioja: a wine of incredible elegance, showing complex layers of dried forest fruits, leather, sweet spices, and cigar box, underpinned by a fine, mineral-etched acidity.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1879 by the Real de Asúa brothers in the historic Barrio de la Estación of Haro, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) is a cornerstone of Rioja winemaking. Still family-controlled today, the estate is celebrated for its harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and architectural innovation, featuring a legendary cellar designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's studio. CVNE's philosophy centers on meticulous vineyard management across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, producing elegant, structurally complex wines aged in fine oak casks. The winery is globally renowned for its iconic labels, including the historic Imperial Gran Reserva, the fruit-forward Viña Real, and the single-estate expression Contino, which collectively define the pinnacle of classic Spanish Tempranillo.